Uncoupling device for railway cars



Oct. 5 1926. I H. ACKROYD ET AL UNCOUPLLNG DEVICE FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed Dec. 29, 1925 Patented Oct. 5, 1926.

HARRY ACKROYD, OF EAST CHICAGO, INDIANA, AND ALFF/ED W. IEOWELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. I

UNCOUPLING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY CABS.

Application filed December This invention relates to uncoupling means for railway cars of that type which are mounted to cooperate with the release pin or key of the usual form of car couplers. I

The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel form of release elements which are operable from one side of the car, to obviate the necessity of an operative going between the car ends during uncoupling operations, and further, to provide means of this character that may be readily applied to cars now in use and comprising a comaratively simple organization of elements which will be positive in their operation in effecting the function which they are designed to perform.

I'lhe invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a portion of a car and a coupling means diagrammatically represented and showing the improved uncoupling organization applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through a portion of a car end, showing parts of the uncoupling means in full and dotted lines to illustrate the operation thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of parts of the improved uncoupling means.

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section on the line 4-4, Fig. 3. v

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, taken on the same line of section but looking in the opposite direction.

The numeral 5 designates .a car of the usual type having an end sill 6 and a coupling head 7 provided with any suitable coupling elements including a pinor key 8.

The improved uncoupling means comprises a keeper and guide secured adjacent one side of the car against the end of the latter and comprising an attaching bracket plate 9 with upper, forwardly projecting jaws lO, which are spaced apart a suitable distance. On the sill adjacent to the coupling head 7 is fixed a base plate 11 of the form shown by Fig. 3, said base plate having a securing eye 12 at one end which is longitudinally straight, and at the opposite end is a second 29,1925. Serial No. 78,196.

securing eye 13 which is deflected at an angle in a'forward direction. Adj acent'to the second or inner eye 13 are upstanding parallel lugs or cars 14 as shown by Figs. 3 the said lugs or ears 14 extending transversely with relation to the upper part of the plate. At a suitable distance from the lugs or ears 14, longitudinally disposed lugs or cars 15 are formed with and rise'from the opposite side portions of the base plate 11 and project upwardly from a web 16, a bifurcation 17 being formed between the lugs ,or ears 15 as shown by Fig. 4. Between the lugs or ears 14 the rear reduced end 18 of an outwardly projecting arm 19 is pivotally and 5,

held by'a pin 20 extending through the lugs I or ears and the said reduced end, so that the said arm 19 will have a free vertical movement. The outer endof the arm 19 is provided with an eye 20*,to which is attached a link 21 connected to the'coupling pin or key '8, as shown by Figs. "1 and 2. Loosely and rotatably mounted between the jaws 10' is an uncoupling rod 22, which is held in connection with the said jaws by a cotter. pin 23, the ends of said rod adjacent to the one side of the car being turned down at .an angle in the form of a crank handle 24, which is in a position readily accessible to an-operative in raising the coupling pin or key 8. The inner extremity of the rod 22 is seated in the bifurcation 17 between the lugs or ears 15 and is held in movable association between said ears by a cotter pin 25, transversely passed through the said ears or lugs. The inner extremityof the rod 22 beyond the inner terminals of the lugs or ears 15 is cranked and forwardly projected as at 26, to provide a raising arm 27 which has a slightupward trend at its terminal 28, as clearly shown by Figs. 1 and 3. The lifting arm 27 continuing from the crank portion 26 at the inner extremity of the rod 22 is located under the arm 19, the latter being normally spaced from the arm 27 to give a certain amount of separation to these parts to compensate for travel of the coupler, and by turning the'rod22 in a proper direction, or by raising the outer crank handle 24, the

arm 19 will be elevated when engaged by the 21 attached to the outer end of the said arm together with other features of construction which will now be described allows for uncoupler head travel or removes all tendency to stiffness of the uncoupling features when the cars are traveling and during movement of the coupler head incident to such travel. t will be seen in Fig. 1 that the link 21 which connects the arm 19 to the coupling pin 8 has an eye 21 at its upper end for loose connection to an eye 20 at the outer end of the arm 19, and furthermore, at the lower terminal of the link 21, is a larger eye 21 which connects with the eye at the upper end of the coupling pin 8. The larger eye 21 and the corresponding larger eye opening permits a loose connection between the lower eye 21 and the upper end of the coupling pin 8, and the provision of the said larger eye 21 also causes the lower end of the link 21 to have an offset arrangement relatively to the eye 21 at the upper end of the said link, this offset being due to the enlargement of the eye 21. By providing the eyes 21 and 21 and the offset due to the enlargement of the lower eye 21", there is a freedom of action between the ends of the link 21 and the arm 19 and coupling pin 8, and hence there is no tendency to jam or impose strain on the arm 19 or in any wise exert an upward pull on the coupling pin 8 during travel of the cars and corresponding movement of the coupling head 7. This is a very important feature in the construction and practical operation of the coupling pin liftin means or uncoupling organization. Anotherfeature is that the link 21 is in one piece and therefore cannot kink, foul or drop between the coupler and striking plate, and as a consequence the said link is always in position for instant operation to effectively release the coupling pin 8.

It will be seen that the improved uncoupling means may be readily applied to cars now in use, there being no material modification of structure required, it only being necessary to apply the bracket plate 9 as shown by Fig. 1 and the base plate 11 carrying the lugs or cars 14: and 15, and then associate the rod 22 with the jaws 10 of the bracket plate and the ears 15 rising from the base plate and also secure the said rod in operative relation to the arm 19 by inserting the cotter pin 23 through the jaws 10 and the cotter pin 25- through the ears or lugs 15.

Structurally, oneof the main advantages of the improved uncoupling means is the base plate 11, which has the ears or lugs 14 and 15 formed integrally therewith, and thereby application and securement of the said base plate with the lugs or ears rising therefrom will at one operation properly position the inner working parts of the improved means. It will also be seen that the uncoupling means is of simple construction and can be economically 1nanufactured and applied.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In an uncoupling means for railway cars of the class specified, the combination with a coupling mechanism including a movable locking device, of a freely movable, forwardly projected arm, a one-piece link connection between the locking device and the projected arm and having eyes at the upper and lower terminals to compensate for vertical and lateral movement of the coupling mechanism during travel, and a rod operable from the side of the car. and having a rotatable mounting, the said rod being formed with projecting means under and adapted to engage the projected arm in a plane at right angles to the latter to release the movable locking device from its coupling position, the said means being disengaged from and assuming a position below the rod after it has performed its work.

2. In an uncoupling means for railway cars of the class specified, the combination with coupling mechanism including a movable locking device therefor, of a forwardly projecting lifting arm mounted for movement in a vertical plane, a one-piece link having eyes at the upper and lower extremities thereof respectively engaging the free terminal of the lifting arm and the end of the locking device, the lower eye of the link being larger than the upper eye, and means operable from the side of the car having a projecting portion under and adapted to engage the said'lifting arm for releasing the locking device, the said projecting portion automatically becoming disengaged and normally located at a distance from the lifting rod when in normal position.

3. In an uncoupling means for railway cars of the classspecilied, the combination with a car end and coupling mechanism apengagement with and elevation of the arm, the rod being rotatable in the bearing 'devices, and a one-piece link having eyes at the upper and lower extremities thereof respectively engaging the outer end of thesaid arm and the one end of the coupling pin, the lower eye of the link being larger than the upper eye and the link permitting unrestricted loose movement to compensate for the movement of the coupling mecha- 1 nisin.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands.

HARRY ACKROYD.

ALFRED W. POWELL. 

